Review: 2023 John Anthony Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
You may know John Anthony only from his low-cost brand, JaM Cellars — but Anthony also makes luxe, cellar-worthy wines that deserve more serious attention. Case in point: This newly released Napa cabernet. Almost archetypical in its construction, this 2023 cab bursts out of the gate with dense notes of currants and black cherries, tempered…
Review: Jefferson’s Reserve 8 Years Old
Big-ish things are happening over at Jefferson’s. The entire lineup has gotten a glow-up with bolder packaging featuring larger typeface. I never minded squinting to read my Jefferson’s labels, but I guess we bourbon drinkers are all getting older by the day. There’s also been some streamlining of offerings, with both the flagship rye and…
Review: MaraBela Sparkling Tea Wild Verbena
Packaged in a 750ml wine bottle with a Champagne style cork, you could be forgiven for assuming MaraBela was a new sparkling wine, albeit perhaps with a new age bent. It’s not, though, it’s tea: sparkling tea, specifically, designed as a non-alcoholic alternative to a traditional bottle of bubbly. Per the brand: MaraBela wasn’t created…
Review: Bulleit ’87
Blending bourbon and rye used to be a wild novelty, but now it’s surprisingly commonplace, perhaps due to the runaway success of High West’s Bourye, which has become an annually released, prized commodity among those in the know. The latest to jump into the blending game is Bulleit, whose new Bulleit ’87 is in some…
Review: 2024 Sankt Pauls Pinot Grigio Sudtirol Aldo Adige
Alto Adige pinot grigio (Santa Margherita generally excepted) offers the drinker the opportunity to experience this wine without the expected trappings that have become typical of today’s production. Rather than overtly fruity and vaguely sweet, Sankt Pauls’ expression is layered and quite dry, an exploration of terroir instead of the orchard. Crisp and mineral-driven on…
Review: Penelope Founders Reserve Bourbon 13, Conundrum Rye 12, and Cigar Sessions Chapter 2
There is more than one way to make a whiskey worth talking about. Time can transform a spirit as it interacts with oak over the course of years. Selecting and blending barrels can bring individual components together to create something greater than the sum of their parts. And sometimes, the goal is not simply to…
Review: One Stone 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2025 Rose of Pinot Noir
Ancient Peaks offshoot One Stone continues to surprise with its ultra-value wines. Here’s a look at two new releases. 2023 One Stone Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles Review The 2023 edition of this screw-capped cabernet defies expectations, offering moderated sweetness and varietal authenticity, notes of currants tempered with oak, rhubarb, and a dash of vanilla, finishing…
Review: Powers Irish Rye
While Irish whiskey is typically crafted from a blend of grains — predominantly barley — with this bottling Powers takes things in an unusual direction. As the name suggests, this is a 100% rye whiskey, column distilled at Midleton and aged for 4 to 5 years in a mix of virgin American oak, first-fill, and…
Review: Waterdrop Instant Hot and Cold Countertop Water Filter Dispenser CT01
Isn’t it about high time we had space-saving on-demand convenience for fetching filtered hot or cold water at home with a touch of a button? Hadn’t thought of it? Probably not top of mind given the existing options in the water category. Refrigerators come with spouts for cold water, and electric kettles boil water in…
Review: New Riff Wheated Bourbon 6 Years Old
Based in Newport, Kentucky — just a stone’s throw from the Ohio River, and right across from Cincinnati — New Riff has never been averse to playing with mash bills and grain types. Its latest special release whiskey honors that ethos, delivering a wheated bourbon from a notably uncommon recipe: 65% corn 18% floor-malted wheat…
